Pompeion

Today I visted a site called Kerameikos in Athens. It was a cemetery for many centuries, and contains numerous examples of funerary art. The site was only rediscovered in 1861 during road construction in the neighborhood. On the site is also located the famous Dipylon Gate, which was the main entrance into Athens during ancient times when the city was surrounded by walls. The gate itself is said to have been the largest gateway in the ancient world, covering around 1800 square meters. Constructed around 478 B.C., it had four large covered towers and a courtyard that also served as an official meeting place and a location for commercial activity. I was excited to see the remains of the Gate, as I had read references to it in classical texts.